Finding The Way
by Melissa2
Summary: How Rev Bem found the Way and its connection to one of Andromeda's other crew members. Please read and review.


Title: Finding The Way  
Rating: PG  
Spoilers: Nothing plot revealing, just little tidbits from a few episodes.  
Archive: Sure, but send me an email telling me where it's at.  
Summary: How Rev Bem found the Way and its connection to one of Andromeda's other crew members.  
Disclaimer: Andromeda is owned by Tribune, not me. Please don't sue. It's all in fun.  
  
  
There was warmth and protection in the beginning. The vaguest of memories hold those two basic sensations. Then, there was the darkness, vibrations and sounds. It was a total and complete mystery in the beginning, until the shell that encased him was torn open by his parent. He emerged to see the bloody remains of what had been a human woman. His instinct was to eat her body, and he did not know differently.   
  
His parent had been observing him closely while he had eaten, seen the violence and sheer brutality in him. "You shall be called Redplague," his parent screeched in Magog before chasing after a group of humans in the distance.   
  
He did not feel satiated and almost rushed off to find more food without a second thought, but a small photo album on the ground where his host and first meal had been caught his interest. He lifted it with curiousity, flipping through the photographs with a claw. The photographs were of the woman he had just eaten, with others by her side. Her friends, family and those she cared about, he realized. He wondered where those others were, if they knew that she was dead. A pang of guilt hit him, the first of many he was to experience.  
  
In surprise, he threw the photo album to the ground and cast away the new emotion. "Redplague," he said softly to himself. "I must live up to my given name."  
  
He killed several humans and consumed them, heading towards a group of around ten boarding a shuttle. He snuck aboard the shuttle and killed all the humans aboard before allowing the autopilot to carry him to a planet. The planet was Earth. The shuttle landed flawlessly. He exited it and waited for more humans to find him.  
  
A group of humans were headed his way, not spotting him immediately. He scanned the area with his eyes and saw a small child, no more than seven or eight years of age. It would be an easy target, even for a small Magog. He ran towards the child and knocked it to the ground. It was a little girl with blond hair and blue eyes.   
  
"Mommy!" she screamed desperately. "Daddy! Seamus! Where are you?!?"  
  
He lifted one of his paws and swung down with powerful force, killing the child almost immediately. Her eyes remained open, glazed over with terror and pain. Another pang of guilt hit him. He pushed it away and began eating the child as a distraction. He had eaten half of the child when he noticed another child staring wide-eyed at the remains of the little girl. The child was a boy, around ten or eleven, with the same blond hair and blue eyes. The child's eyes were filled with hatred, fear, and an intense desire for revenge. But the second the child realized he was being watched, he sprinted away.   
  
Redplague would never forget that look in the boy's eyes. It brought forth a stronger pang of guilt than the rest of those he had killed did that was more adamant towards action being taken.   
  
He needed to find a safe haven from this life that he had experienced. He wondered why he had been given these feelings. The other Magog seemed to have no problem with eating humans and transforming them into hosts for their proginy. The shuttle was nearby and still operational. He set it on autopilot again. He fought his growing hunger, wandering aimlessly. He would only eat what he found that had already died, excluding humans and humanoids.  
  
A week of travel led him to a planet. He landed near a forest, the first place he encountered that actually harbored life. It was a beautiful place, with healthy plants and animals, even a small stream. The forest ended in a small mountainous area, with a path leading up into the cliffs. He stared up at several song birds serenading the forest.   
  
"Are you lost?" a voice asked from behind him.  
  
"I...yes, I am," he responded and turned around. A man cloaked in robes stood behind him.  
  
"I am Brother Thaddeus Blake. Magog are rarely found near our sanctuary. What brings you here?"  
  
Redplague was not sure how to respond, whether to tell the man the truth, lie or just run away again. "I don't know," he eventually replied.  
  
"Have you come to follow the Way?" Thaddeus approached him more closely.  
  
"What is the Way?" He wondered if it was this path that led through the forest.  
  
"The Way is our religion, our philosophy of life. There is another Magog at our monastery, if you wish to speak with him concerning the Way. I could explain, but most prefer the company of their own species."  
  
Redplague was fascinated and needed somewhere to stay for the time being. He could learn about the Way to get that. "No, you can tell me," he said, not wanting to ever see another Magog again. It only brought the blood, death and violence he had been surrounded by to mind.  
  
The pair approached the monastery, both engaged in discussion about Wayism. Redplague had not been completely convinced that he could even consider the idea of Wayism.  
  
"You should talk to Brother Prohmal," Thaddeus insisted. "He can better explain Wayism from a Magog's vantage point."  
  
"Another Magog." Redplague glanced over to see a Magog donning the same robes as Thaddeus approaching him.   
  
"I will leave you two alone to speak," Thaddeus said as he departed from the main hall of the monastery.   
  
"You wish to follow the Way?" Prohmal asked.  
  
"I don't know," Redplague honestly admitted.  
  
"At one time, I was where you are now--a young Magog who did not realize what he wanted. You feel terrible guilt when you kill, and you try to stop it with more killing. It just overwhelms you, conquers everything else."  
  
Redplague felt as if Prohmal had read his mind somehow. "Yes...and Wayism stops it?"  
  
"If you give your pain to the Divine, let it flow freely like air, like water...it provides the solace necessary to function, but I would be lying to you if I said it completely erases the remorse and regret for what you have done."  
  
That wasn't what he had been expecting to hear. He had expected Prohmal to lie to him, tell him that it alleviated all the suffering he was experiencing. Wayism was becoming more enticing as he learned more about it. "How do I become a Wayist?"  
  
"Brother Thaddeus will become your mentor, your guide in the beginning. I will only remain here for duration of the month before I return to my monastery," Prohmal said. "But until then, I will do everything possible to help you forge your path to becoming a Wayist."  
  
"Is your given name Prohmal?" Redplague asked.   
  
"No, my given name is Ruddytide. But I became Brother Prohmal Rising Star when I converted to a life of Wayism. What is your given name?"  
  
"I am Redplague," he responded, hating the way it sounded as it left his mouth.  
  
"No longer do you harbor the name Redplague. You are now...Brother Behemial Far Traveler."  
  
"I am Brother Behemial Far Traveler," he said to himself, liking the name much more than Redplague. "I wish to follow the Way."  
  
Thus began his journey on the path of the Divine.  
  
*****  
  
Reverend Behemial Far Traveler listened closely as Serenity Singh Khalsa delivered a sermon over the communications channel of Trinity Drift. The sermon ended, and someone bumped into him from behind.  
  
"Hey, why don't you watch where you're going buddy?" a woman snapped before realizing she had bumped into a reverend. "Hey, sorry. Didn't see you there."  
  
"There is no need for apologies," Rev said.  
  
"You haven't happened to see a Perseid around, have you?" the woman asked.  
  
He glanced around and spotted a Perseid being carried away on a gurney. "Is that the Perseid you are seeking?"  
  
"Damn it! Vex-Pag why did you have to go get yourself killed!?! Now I'm short a science officer," the woman said. "Since you seem to be good at finding people, do you know where I can get a science officer?"  
  
"I specialize in science, linguistics, and philosophy. I am also currently seeking a position in which I can earn the capital necessary for my project," Rev said.  
  
"Well, my engineer doesn't like Magog, but seeing as we can't really function with a two person crew, that means you're hired. By the way, I'm Beka Valentine."  
  
"I am Reverend Behemial Far Traveler."  
  
"How about we call you Rev Bem?"   
  
He nodded. "You said your engineer does not like Magog. Will he be opposed to serving on the same vessel with me?"  
  
"He'll adjust. Hey, Harper! C'mere!" she yelled through the crowd.  
  
A short man with blond hair and blue eyes approached them. A familiar look of fear entered his eyes when he saw the Magog. "My god, a Magog! What kind of a joke is this, Bek?!? You trying to scare the hell out of me to get me back for last week's piloting thing?"  
  
"This is our new science officer. Vex-Pag just kicked the bucket. Say hi to Rev Bem, Harper."  
  
"Hi Rev Bem," he replied sarcastically. He said softly to Beka, "I thought you said we'd make all executive decisions together."  
  
"We'll talk about it later, Seamus," she replied softly.  
  
'Seamus,' Rev thought as he remembered the boy whose sister he had killed so long ago. The one that had led him to the Wayist monastery, the reason he was on Trinity Rift at all. The little girl and Harper himself had been the main reason he had been able to follow Wayism. He did frequent the Shouting Cliff to express his frustration towards Wayism in the beginning, but the children had kept him on the right path. He wondered if he could cope with being near one of them, knowing that he harbored a secret that could alleviate his own guilt, but change Harper's life for the worst.  
  
Harper did not seem to remember him, though. "I am sorry for the crimes my people have committed against you, Harper. If it is of any condolence, I am in the movement to convert Magog to Wayism and end the unnecessary death."  
  
Harper seemed surprised that a Magog would say such a thing, glancing Rev over once. He didn't say anything, though, just became very pensive.  
  
"He just needs a little time," Beka assured Rev.  
  
'As do I,' Rev thought. 'As do I.' 


End file.
